Fierce Tiger Released from Cage

A moment later, they arrived at a relatively secluded spot. Zhou He said excitedly, "I knew you wouldn't abandon us."

"Don't dwell on that. Is there somewhere we can go? My place is being watched, so I can't go there."

"I have another courtyard that no one knows about, and there are medical supplies for treating wounds. I'll find a way to get him out of the city early tomorrow morning. He definitely can't stay here; the arrest warrant has already been issued. As long as he is in Great Yong, he will be a wanted man."

As his voice trailed off.

Lu Yuan nodded, "Then let's go."

After saying that, he carefully navigated through a few streets and arrived at the courtyard Zhou He had mentioned. It wasn't large—just a small yard with two rooms.

Once inside, the two of them took out golden sore medicine and bandages, and began to treat Wu Han's wounds.

At this moment, the man regained consciousness. He looked up at Lu Yuan and said, "Thanks, brother."

The other man nodded without speaking, busy bandaging him. A moment later, his palms were soaked with fresh blood.

He then said, "You leave the city tomorrow first. I'll bring you supplies in the afternoon."

If Zhou He were to sneak Wu Han out of the city, he certainly couldn't bring a warhorse, equipment, or weapons.

But without these, the hope of surviving alone in the vast Northern Frontier was slim.

"En." Wu Han didn't stand on ceremony.

He owed too big a favor this time; being polite would just be fake.

In short, this life would belong to the other man from now on.

After bandaging the wounds, Lu Yuan stood up and said, "I'll head back first. Just wait for me outside the Pine Forest, thirty miles outside the city, tomorrow."

People had been lurking near his home for the past two days.

Although they weren't there today, no one knew when they might return, so he couldn't stay away too long, lest those people suddenly appear and arouse suspicion.

"Alright, you go back first. Once he's out of the city, he'll be relying on you. You know that I have a close relationship with Wu Han, so the Sun Family will definitely focus on me over the next few days," Zhou He said, wiping his hands.

"Rest assured." After Lu Yuan responded, he walked outside, leaped onto the roof, and headed toward his home.

As he returned to the courtyard and saw that the scouts were not there, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He then went back into the room, washed up, and went straight to rest.

The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, after Lu Yuan had finished his meal.

Wei Yong and the others arrived one after another.

The dozen or so men were all in high spirits; following Lu Yuan these days, they could be considered to have gained some prestige.

Although they weren't Squad Leaders, when they walked down the street, ordinary Squad Leaders really had to show them some respect.

Upon seeing Lu Yuan, they were very respectful and polite: "Greetings, Commander."

The man waved his hand and looked at the few people in front of him: "I brought you here today to teach you a formation I recently acquired. However, there are too few of us. After you go back, each of you should select some men from your respective garrisons who are willing to leave the city—as long as it doesn't exceed one hundred people. Then, lead them to familiarize themselves with the formation, and we will leave the city in a while."

After speaking, he handed the sketches he had drawn to each of them; everyone received a copy.

Wei Yong and the others had witnessed the brilliance of Lu Yuan's military command, and they immediately grinned: "Yes, Commander."

Zhang Gun stepped forward: "Commander, how about we go for a drink at noon?"

"I have something to do this afternoon, so I won't go. Let's do it in a few days."

"Understood, as you command," Zhang Gun said with a grin.

"Alright, all of you go back and practice this military formation as soon as possible. You must not make any mistakes. I will inspect it in half a month," Lu Yuan said with a stern expression.

"Understood!"

After the dozen or so men cupped their fists and accepted the order, they left one after another.

When only Lu Yuan was left in the courtyard, he began to prepare his supplies: enough dry rations for one person to eat for over ten days, a war saber, and a set of armor without any markings of a faction.

It was even inlaid with iron plating.

There were also several water bottles filled with boiled water, as well as a few flasks of wine.

After finishing all this, it was already noon.

Lu Yuan led out a warhorse, placed all the items on its back, and covered them with a tarp. After eating something casually, he mounted another horse, leading the first one behind him, and headed outside.

He was wearing full armor, holding a tiger-headed long saber in his hand.

The city guards who passed by on the road, upon seeing Lu Yuan, carefully dodged to the side. They didn't even dare to get close, let alone search him.

They let the man head toward the city gate.

Inside the Sun Family estate, in Sun Gan's bedroom, he lay on the bed, his silver-white hair hanging down, and violent coughing fits erupted from time to time.

Both of his sons had died overnight, which was a heavy blow to him.

"Have you found the person? And who is the one who killed my second son?"

As he spoke, he struggled to lift his head, his chest heaving with ragged breaths.

It sounded like a broken bellows.

"We didn't find the person, and we don't know who killed the second brother," Sun Yun, the eldest of the Sun Family, said helplessly.

"Go back down and keep looking," Sun Gan said through gritted teeth.

With that, he collapsed back against his pillow.

"Understood," Sun Yun replied before stepping out of the room.

No sooner had he left than a shrill, mournful wail erupted from within the room.

Shaking his head in resignation, Sun Yun quickened his pace.

At that very moment, Lu Yuan had already led his warhorse out of the city.

He headed toward the Pine Forest, thirty miles away.

Along the way, he encountered several squads of Great Yong scouts. They were in a sorry state, fleeing toward Ice Plain City, with some units clearly undermanned.

"Brother, has something happened?"

Finally, upon meeting the fifth battered squad, Lu Yuan could not help but ask.

The leader of the group was a Squad Leader who recognized Lu Yuan and immediately replied, "The Manyan Tribe has gone mad. They sent out an elite scout unit that has been hammering our men for the past few days. Last night, several squads that had left the city joined forces to counterattack.

We were scattered in a single morning, and I lost half my men."

As he spoke, he licked his cracked lips and added, "Lord Lu, do you have any wine?"

Lu Yuan did not stand on ceremony and tossed a wineskin directly into his hands.

"Thanks."

"Are the fortresses doing nothing?" Lu Yuan asked.

"The nearby fortresses are all reportedly preparing to form elite scout teams to deal with this. Yun Mo of Huqiu Fortress, and the Yellow Sand Fortress—they say a new Centurion was transferred there. Our Ice Plain Fortress will likely form one too.

When that happens, I'm sure the position will be yours," the Squad Leader said with a grin.

After tossing them a waterskin, Lu Yuan mounted his warhorse and continued forward.

By the afternoon, he finally met Wu Han in a secluded spot outside the Pine Forest.

He looked disheveled, wearing a gray cotton-padded jacket. Perhaps due to the unconventional method he used to leave the city, he gave off an unpleasant odor.

He was also covered in bits of withered yellow grass.

Seeing him, Lu Yuan jumped off his horse. "How are your injuries?"

"Nothing too serious. I've got thick skin and sturdy flesh; it won't hinder my movement today," Wu Han said, rubbing his bald head.

He had taken a blade to the head yesterday.

To make bandaging easier, he had shaved his hair off.

"That's good. This horse has armor, weapons, medicinal powder for wounds, and enough dry rations to last you over ten days. Take this bag of silver."

As he spoke, Lu Yuan shoved a silver pouch into Wu Han's hand.

"Here is a map. It roughly marks the locations of nearby villages and a few bandit camps. I pass by here every time I leave the city. If you need anything, leave a mark. I'll see it, and we can arrange a time to meet."

"Understood." Wu Han listened to Lu Yuan's instructions, and once everything was settled, the latter returned to the city.

He believed that with Wu Han's strength, surviving outside the city walls would not be difficult.

Meanwhile, inside Yellow Sand City, Zhang Zhe had just arrived when he received an order to form an elite unit and head out to wipe out the Manyan Tribe scouts.

Back at his residence, he said with some dissatisfaction, "What is the Helian Clan thinking? They're assigning me tasks the moment I arrive."

Bai Hong, sitting in the living room sipping tea, replied, "This is a good thing. It shows the Yun Province General is truly putting in the effort. Getting such a task right after arriving is definitely a sign of being highly valued.

As far as I know, there are three nearby fortresses: Ice Plain, Huqiu, and Yellow Sand. Ever since the Ice Plain Fortress wiped out a unit of the Northern Barbarians' Iron Sparrowhawks, these three have been competing in secret.

They are all determined to be the first to destroy this elite Manyan unit. Being entrusted with this task shows they value you. Once this is done, you will have firmly established your footing in the Northern Frontier, and your path ahead will be smooth sailing.

Don't be impatient; you are currently in the stage of accumulating capital.

You are still young. The more capital you accumulate, the more force you will have when you finally erupt."

After Bai Hong finished speaking, Zhang Zhe's emotions finally stabilized.

A glint appeared in his eyes.